Vegan German Chocolate Cake
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My vegan German chocolate cake recipe combines layers of moist chocolate cake with creamy coconut and pecan filling. Everything’s enveloped in rich chocolate frosting, making for a true showstopper.
I love a good German chocolate cake, but making it without eggs or dairy was trickier than I expected (and I
The cake part itself was easy, as I already have a tried-and-true vegan chocolate cake recipe. Rather, it was the filling that took some experimenting to get right. To mimic the creamy coconut pecan filling of the traditional cake, I swapped out condensed milk for coconut condensed milk. It wasn’t an equal swap, though, so I thickened it with some brown sugar and vegan butter.
The cake turns out light and fluffy, and the thick layers of creamy coconut filling and chocolate frosting take it to another level. For how decadent it is, you’d never believe it’s vegan. My partner, who is perhaps the world’s biggest carnivore, always finds room to put away two slices.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into this eggless German chocolate cake, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour. Standard all-purpose flour works perfectly here. Several readers asked if gluten-free flour can be used, so I tested it with Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Gluten Free flours, and it worked really well. If you use another brand, just make sure it contains xanthan gum.
- Cocoa powder. Sifted, unsweetened cocoa powder. For a richer chocolate flavor, I sometimes use dark cocoa powder.
- Baking soda. Reacts with the vinegar to help the cake rise without the need for any eggs.
- Sugar. I used white sugar, but brown sugar, coconut sugar, or allulose (sugar free sweetener) can be used.
- Salt. Just a pinch to bring out the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Vinegar. I used apple cider vinegar, but white vinegar also works. I had a reader ask for a vinegar alternative, so I recently baked one with lemon juice, and it worked well.
- Vanilla extract. Cuts through the richness of the filling and chocolate frosting.
- Oil. I used vegetable oil, but any neutral-flavored oil works.
- Water. Water keeps the cake light. I tested unsweetened almond milk and found no noticeable texture difference, so use whichever you have.
For the coconut pecan filling and frosting:
- Coconut condensed milk. It’s a dairy-free alternative to traditional condensed milk. I can find it in the Asian aisle of my grocery store, but you can also get it on Amazon (I like Thai Kitchen or Coconut Secret brands).
- Vegan butter. Preferably unsalted and from a block, not a spread, as spreads tend to contain more water. My go-to vegan butters are Miyoko’s or Country Crock.
- Brown sugar. You can also use coconut sugar.
- Shredded coconut. Unsweetened coconut flakes. The thicker the flakes are, the chewier the texture of the frosting.
- Pecans. Unsalted and raw pecans that have been roughly chopped.
- Chocolate frosting (optional). To decorate the top. I used my vegan chocolate buttercream.
How to make vegan German chocolate cake
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and grease two 8-inch cake pans.
Step 2- Make the cake batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and stir until a smooth batter remains.
Step 3- Bake. Pour the batter into the two cake pans and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 4- Make the filling. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the coconut condensed milk with butter and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer, stirring until it thickens.
Step 5- Finish the filling. Remove the mixture from the heat. Whisk in the coconut and pecans until combined. Let it cool slightly before layering.
Step 6- Assemble. Once the cake has cooled completely, place the first cake layer on a flat surface. Spread half the filling on top. Place the second layer of cake and top with the remaining filling. If desired, add a layer of chocolate frosting. Let the cake sit for 30 minutes to firm up.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Avoid overbaking. It’ll continue to cook as it cools, so remove it from the oven when a toothpick comes out ‘mostly’ clean.
- If you can’t find condensed coconut milk, combine canned coconut milk with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and two tablespoons of sugar. Let this mixture simmer until it thickens, then build the rest of your filling.
- Make sure the cake has completely cooled before layering. Otherwise, your filling will melt and run down the sides rather than holding the cake layers.
- Make a four-layered cake. Wait for the cakes to completely cool, then slice them in half. I make this whenever I’m serving this for a birthday or celebration. A trick I learned in culinary school is to freeze the cakes for two hours first- it makes slicing the cake so much easier.
- For more coconut flavor, add one teaspoon of coconut extract. Don’t add more than that, or the cake will taste artificial.
Storage instructions
To store: As the frosting/filling can be quite sticky, it’s best to refrigerate the cake in a sealed container. The cake will keep well for up to 1 week. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving to allow the filling to soften.
To freeze: Place cake slices in a sealable container and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Vegan German Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups + 3 tablespoons all purpose flour gluten free, if needed
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 3/4 cups sugar white or brown
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 2 cups + 3 tablespoons water
For the filling and frosting
- 1 1/2 cups coconut condensed milk
- 3/4 cup vegan butter
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
- 3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
- 1 cup chocolate frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda, and mix well. Add the apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, oil, and water, and mix until a smooth batter remains.
- Distribute the batter amongst the two cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely. Once cooled, layer and frost the cake. Place the first cake on a flat surface. Spread half the filling on top of it until it covers the entire cake. Place the second layer of cake and top with the remaining filling. If desired, add a layer of chocolate frosting. Let the cake sit for 30 minutes, to firm up.
For the filling
- In a small saucepan, combine your coconut condensed milk with butter and brown sugar. On medium heat, bring to a simmer. Once it begins to simmer, stir the mixture together until it thickens.
- Remove the mixture from the heat. Stir through the coconut and pecans until combined. Let it cool slightly, before layering between the cakes and on top of it.
Notes
Nutrition
More vegan cake recipes
- Vegan birthday cake– Moist, fluffy, and surprisingly easy to make.
- Vegan lemon cake– I make this whenever my mom gives me fresh lemons from her tree (which may be my motivation for visiting).
- Snickers cake– Layers of peanuts, caramel, and cake.
- Vegan strawberry cake– Puree fresh strawberries into the batter for a gorgeous pink color.
Hi Arman! This cake was delicious but my filling turned dry and crumbly. I may have cooked it too long on the stove top before adding the shredded coconut/pecans. Also I live at high altitude. I’d love to try again. Do you have any suggestions to help prevent this? Thanks!
Hi Sarai, at high altitude liquids evaporate a bit quicker so you may have to reduce the cooking time for the filling so that it remains moist. An extra teaspoon of butter, or a little more coconut condensed milk, can help balance the mix if you notice it becoming dry. Might just take a little balancing, depending on how high up you are. Let us know how you go!
Made it using gluten free flour. So moist it’s lovely. I made it in one round cake tin.
Another hit 👏
Hi.. can i make this with Almond flour? I need a recipe for eggless Almond flour chocolate sponge and lemon sponge.. any guidance would be much appreciated!
I haven’t tried, but you are welcome to experiment and see
I searched high and low in three different Asian grocers near me, and could not find hide nor hair of coconut condensed milk! Google wasn’t helpful for me, either 🙁 Do you have a recipe or suggestion on how to replicate coconut condensed milk myself? This looks and reads so lush, I’d really like to make it and share the post with local friends!
You can find them in Asian grocery stores 🙂 or online too!
Walmart carries Andre Pros sweetened condensed coconut milk! It may also be found in Latin/Hispanic markets, especially Caribbean Hispanic markets, such as Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban.